Maria Killam addressed this issue in both her blog and her newsletter with different pictures in each.

Brown Sofa blog post

Here is a link that might be useful: Brown Sofa newsletter

Am I missing something bbstx? The blog link takes me to a post where she says she talks @ it in the newsletter, but there isn't any way to access the newsletter from the site? that link is not working for me....

The link with "blog" in it is just for the picture.

Does the newsletter link that I posted not work? I subscribe so maybe I can see it, but not link it. Sorry. The "newsletter" link has some pictures too. I didn't get that much out of it, except to use lots of creams and whites.

Thanks for clarifying--I couldn't access the newsletter, but I am planning on cream colored walls, so that's good to know.

Not cream walls but a soft caramel/goldish color

Don't have pics, but you could also do a "color, color!" on the walls and repeat that hue with your pillows, rugs, etc.

Blue walls/brown sofa, Aqua walls/brown sofa, orange, pink or red walls/brown sofa...gosh, I can't think of anything that wouldn't work...except more brown or beige of course, which you want to get away from. I'm not Maria the color consultant, but that's my take on it, fwiw.

What looks great in the lighting your sofas are in? Play around with different shades in the room and see what grabs you. Have fun, and go for it!

Hello,

I have used yellow and red to accent my brown couches. I have added some red pillows since these pics were taken. My walls are SW White Raisin. My shades are in the same fabric that you see on the pillow that is on the red chair. This fabric brings a lot of color into my space.

What do you think of this?

Here is a link that might be useful: Brown couch, light living room

Thank you all.

Java, is that your coffee table? Don't let me find out where you live--I love it! I can see from the light coming into your room that you have much larger windows--my walls are not much darker than that right now (if at all) but due to the smallness of the windows the room is a batcave even with four lamps and the foyer light on--I need to go lighter on the wall color.

Stinky--I thought about using a color color but I know how quickly I grow tired of it. Especially on the stair wall which spans both floors--it seems like a shame to have such an expanse of "nothing". But...it is a hard wall to paint and I am afraid I'll get sick of looking at a lot of color on it, too.

I have a seriously orange/red kitchen which I continue to love, but all the other rooms I have ever used real color on I have been tired of in a couple of years--now that I am too tired/lazy to paint it all myself, I can't risk it.

Mom2sethc--thank you. I love the blue on the bottom of the boat on your mantel and the lighthouse print. I am hoping to get my chairs slipcovered in something blue or with a lot of blue in it, or else with something cherry red. My rug has very thin stripes of red, blue, green, brown (!) and gold, so I think I can use any of those without having to have a new rug--although I am not necessarily saying "no" to a new rug, either.

Anyone else?

Here's a picture of my family room....actually part of the great room with kitchen and breakfast nook. Sofa looks browner in person than in picture with flash.

Javachik, I am swooning over your accent table between the chairs. Were these a recent purchase? Where might I find them/manufacturer?